Siamese Twin Ale - Uncommon Brewers

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4.05/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

473ml can poured into tulip 26/7/12

A clear dark brownish amber with just a thin cap of beige foam that falls fast and leaves no lace

S licorice, brewers candy, cinnamon, big herbal notes, coriander, clove, I pick up on the lemongrass and lime but its only after I read it on the can. some brown sugar as it warms and no booze at all, smells awesome

T a little booze comes out and its rather spicy but I'm missing much of what I was loving on the nose. not the same complexity as the smell at all but still respectable

M medium bodied with enough carbonation too give it some life, a little heat and a spicy herbal licorice finish that lingers for a very long time

O I liked this one a fair bit, unusual and interesting, a unique attempt on a classic style and it works well for me

some time might make this one even better, I didn't expect much from a Dubbel in a pint can but it worked for me and once again I'm well above the average

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 06:23:11 | More by wordemupg

OBeerMeGreatOne

California

4.01/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Pours out a deep red/brown with about an inch of tan head. The lace is there, but doesn't last long.

Dark fruit (plum, raisin) and pepper start this dubbel off nicely, booze, caramel and spice follow.

At first I think I taste banana bread followed by plum and caramel. Earth, booze and a sweet taste I can't put my finger on show up around the middle (a good sweet). The finish has a little chocolate and dark fruit. A little high on carbonation, but the body is moderately thick, so it still goes down smooth.

Not my favorite, but still very interesting. Uncommon Brewers does an excellent job of putting interesting twists on old styles. Might grab one more for the cellar an rereview later.

Serving type: can

04-25-2013 04:36:52 | More by OBeerMeGreatOne

blackie

Virginia

4.1/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

single can from Beer Run, Charlottesville

a: served in a lager westmalle chalice, the dubbel is the deep brown color of dried dates, a tight head recedes to leave only a ring around the glass

s: very nice dubbel nose of rich, dark fruit sugars - dates and raisin, toffee malt, complex spice stands out - perhaps its the lime and lemongrass additions that are so intriguing, but they're not immediately evident individually, great use of coriander - very delicate, brushes of vanilla, richly aromatic and very pleasing to take in

m: medium-full body, smooth, carbonation on the lower end of moderate with a slight abrasiveness

t: the flavor hits with rich dried tree fruits and a current of dark sugars, a touch of buttery smoothness, this is where the lime shows the most - as a tart/sour note that lingers far into the finish

o: a high quality base dubbel regardless of the unusual additions - the lemongrass and lime are either so well or so lightly used that it's tough to pick them out, but a nice background contributor, expected a gimmick but found a really nice beer

Serving type: can

04-05-2013 04:55:40 | More by blackie

harrymel

Washington

2.2/5  rDev -40.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.25

Canned 14AUG12

Pours nice and toasted brown with some central light etching. Smells of lime, some sweet syrups, a little bit of belgian yeasts, some coriander, and the lemon grass. Taste is lightly tart, some alcohol, some bitterness, some candy. Medium on full body with hi carb and a semi dry finish. Not a good beer really.

Serving type: can

03-11-2013 06:14:25 | More by harrymel

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

3.93/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Picked this up at Buy Rite in Jersey City recently, having never seen anything form Uncommon, let alone tried it. I'm not a fan of canned beer since the few I had in the paste held onto the taste and where so focused on the packaging as to turn me off, but this didn't have a "tinny" taste to it nor was it like anything I had ever seen before. It felt as strong as a Dubbel but not as spicy and complex as the ones I've had from Belgium but with that being said, I enjoyed this beer and did indeed, find it to be "uncommon".

The pour to this was just as I expected from a Dubbel - dark brown, cloudy, and with a nice head. The lacing nearly matched up to that as it stuck to the sides of my pint glass for a while before slowly sliding down. I don't think I've ever had a beer before that contained lemongrass, booze, and caramel in the nose but sure enough, this did. Couldn't taste the citric acid of the lime here but the aroma and wetness of it were certainly present in the taste, along with some dark fruits like plum and fig. I like the carbonation and mouthfeel since it was balanced but not powerful enough to overtake the flavor of this beer. This finished quite clean, even though the booze stuck around for quite a while.

Yes, this was strong but it never tasted that way while I was enjoying this. While the spice wasn't as present here as in other beers that I've had of this style, a little ginger would have provided a nice kick to this. Regardless, this was a different take on a Dubbel that worked well and was a pleasure to enjoy. It's nice to see the envelope pushed on this and Uncommon did it well, to the point where this may end up being popular enough to prove the Brewer's name to be an oxymoron of sorts.

Serving type: can

01-16-2013 22:10:01 | More by JerzDevl2000

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This poured out as a hazy brown color. It's got an interesting yellowish colored head. The smell of the beer has some spicy citrus notes. There is some caramel and even some booze on the nose too. The taste of the beer has dark fruit flavor with some caramel in there, as it warms up the flavors become more earthy. The mouthfeel is smooth, interestingly soft carbonation. Dry finish too. Overall this beer is decent. Not my favorite Dubbel.

Serving type: can

09-11-2012 01:15:22 | More by Knapp85

metter98

New York

3.73/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is slightly hazy reddish brown in color. It poured with a thin beige head that died down and left lacing on the surface and a thin collar around the edge of the glass.
S: There are moderately strong aromas of dark fruits in the nose along with some hints of alcohol.
T: The taste has flavors of dark fruits along with notes of lemongrass and hints of spices.
M: It feels medium-bodied and slightly smooth on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This is an interesting take on the style although it is not as sweet and complex compared to other dubbels.

Serving type: can

09-08-2012 16:06:41 | More by metter98

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.6/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a slightly hazy reddish brown in color with some light amounts of visible carbonation and clear ruby red at the edges of the glass when held up to the light. The beer has a quarter finger tall creamy beige head that slowly reduces to a medium sized patch of thin film and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of dark fruits (primarily raisins) with some more subtle notes of kefir lime and lemongrass. There is a very light presence of alcohol in the finish of the nose as well as some Belgian yeast spiciness.

T: Like the smell, the flavor of the beer starts out with some dark fruit (raisin) sweetness. Then some of the more subtle spice flavors/additions start to become present with kefir lime and a stronger presence of lemongrass than in the smell. There is some candi sugar sweetness and spicy Belgian yeast. Just a hint of alcohol in the finish.

M: Slightly heavier than medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Smooth with light amounts of alcohol warming in the finish.

O: Enjoyable with the addition of the Thai spices/herbs but the alcohol is just not well enough hidden for me. Not sure I would get this one again as it deviates a little too much from the traditional Dubbel style for me.

Serving type: can

09-07-2012 22:31:33 | More by dbrauneis

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

2.73/5  rDev -25.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This beer smells like hairspray. I'm sure there is some very technical term that would impress everyone. But hey. I don't know it. Anyways. This doesnt really work for me. I could have done without it. Unfortunately, that seems to be the theme for this brewery, for me.

Serving type: can

08-31-2012 05:30:18 | More by RblWthACoz

CrazyDavros

Australia

3.2/5  rDev -13%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours brown with ruby highlights and a non-existent head.
Nose shows lemongrass, coriander, banana, caramel, chocolate fudge and Belgian doughy yeast. A bit weird.
Similar herbal flavours, along with caramel and more Belgian yeast.
Very low carbonation, could use a fair bit more.
Yep, weird sums up this beer quite well.

Serving type: can

08-31-2012 02:24:22 | More by CrazyDavros

UCLABrewN84

California

3.4/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Canned on 7/13/12.

Pours a murky dark brown with a 1 inch foamy orange-tan head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Foamy streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is fairly mild and is of malt, Asian peanut sauce, and some herbal aromas. Taste is of malt, dark fruit, peanuts, and some herbal and citrus flavors. There is a mild spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer flavor wise but there are some odd aromas coming from this one.

Serving type: can

08-22-2012 05:05:34 | More by UCLABrewN84

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

16oz single can.

This beer pours a clear, dark ruby amber hue, with one finger of loosely foamy beige head, which leaves a few random specks of islet lace around the glass as it quickly melts away.

It smells of ashy, biscuity caramel malt, a bit of floral anise, sweet earthy spice, the coriander seeming to provide more than its base aroma, a dry citrus essence, and some soft brown sugar. The taste is lightly toasted bready malt, a bit of Belgian candy sugar and yeast, some softly astringent lime, muddled holiday baking spices - cinnamon, ginger nutmeg and coriander, which make for a decent gingerbread analogue - and little to no alcohol warming.

The carbonation is a tad frothy, but in a genial way, the body a smooth, solid medium weight, just a bit of tacky fruitiness tugging away to no avail. It finishes off-dry, the biscuit-tinged caramel malt still forming the backbone, while the spices and waning fruitiness hold their distance.

An impressive dubbel, in the sense of those New World flunkies having a bit of fun, and, um, innovation with the style. The specified adjuncts add their own subtle intricacies, to a one, and the overall toastiness does well to rein in any overly saccharine tendencies. No booze makes itself known, which is an achievement on its own. Quite enjoyable, and worthy of seeking out another.

Serving type: can

08-02-2012 02:26:27 | More by biboergosum

ADZA

Australia

3.5/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Another can offering from these guys this makes number three with one hit and one miss so far and love the list of added ingredients anyway it pours a hazy copper hue which leaves a two finger head that stays and nice lacing,the smell is belgian candy,aniseed,humbugs,cinamon,nutmeg and herbal hops,the mouthfeel is medium bodied and has tastes of nutmeg,lime leaves,cardomon pods,cinamon,herbal fruity hops and finished with a bittersweet mix of herbs and candi sugar,overall its nice and bittersweet with a belgian/thai flair but as they state its an uncommon brew and not that true to style but would be nice with a spicy asian meal or indian curry cheers.

Serving type: can

07-30-2012 11:21:24 | More by ADZA

kojevergas

California

2.63/5  rDev -28.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

16 fl oz aluminum can served into a conical Guinness pint glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are above average; I like the style but I don't know that I've ever had a good one from a can.

Served straight from the refrigerator and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a 1.5 finger light khaki head of okay cream, okay thickness, and pretty good retention considering the high ABV. Colour is a deep chestnut-amber. Nontransparent. Non-opaque. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show.

Sm: Belgian biscuit malt, cream, amber hops, and toasted malt. I don't get any spice or coriander. A very mild strength aroma.

T: Amber hops, some toasted malt, biscuit malt, amber hopping, and caramelization. A strange build for a dubbel. Tries too hard with its spices, never reaching the level of a good trappist example of the style. Very simple, to its detriment. Not particularly enjoyable. No alcohol or yeast comes through.

Mf: Smooth and wet, with some bad coarseness and dryness. Too thick for its lack of good body. Carbonation is off.

Dr: Drinkable but boring. I wouldn't get it again. A disappointment. Pretty underwhelming for the style.

C-

Serving type: can

06-29-2012 06:52:08 | More by kojevergas

ghostwalker

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +20.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

An extra from the clean-up session of the EBF last winter. Thanks!

Nice appearance. Brown body with a respectable finger of tan head.

Nose is sweet, heavy, spice and citrus. Complex and intriguing.

Flavor is rich and spicy dubbel, with a finish of interesting and challenging extras. Coriander I definitely get, the Thai contributions are a bit masked to me, but still very tasty and interesting.

Mouthfeel is slick and rich with a zip on the finish. A mouthfull indeed.

Overall rating is quite high. I love that this beer of such high complexity is available in a can.

Serving type: can

06-20-2012 22:25:05 | More by ghostwalker

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a dark mahogany-red with a finger of frothy off-white head. The head fades down at a normal pace leaving behind only a touch of lace.

S - Aroma is a mix of raisin and other sweet dark fruits, coriander, kaffir lime, and lemongrass. There is also some Belgian yeast with some residual and candi sugar and a bit of booze.

T - Starts off with some sweet dark fruits with some raisins with some coriander, kaffir lime, lemongrass, and Belgian yeast. Through the middle, some candi and residual sugars come through with some more spice and a bit of pepper. The finish is a mix of sweet dark fruits and caramel malts with some spice, Belgian yeast, and a bit of booze.

M - Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a sweet and warming finish.

D - Very drinkable. Nice balance of dark sweet flavors, spices, and body. I like the lemongrass and the kaffir lime.

Serving type: can

06-14-2012 07:16:13 | More by ngeunit1

CookstLiquor

British Columbia (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Wow, what a mouthful of unexpected flavors! This is technically a dubbel, in that it more or less looks like a dubbel--nice ruddy brownish/red color--and is strong like a dubbel. But beyond that, this is an entirely different beast. The nose has recognizable Belgian yeast aromas, but there is a ton of exotic spice in there, as well. The palate is a whole other adventure. The Thai flavors actually work surprisingly well with the Belgian yeast. It's like a ripe, funky, slightly savory tropical fruit salad. Delicious.

Serving type: can

05-31-2012 03:11:36 | More by CookstLiquor

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Very quick, thin head tha recedes to nothing without having to take a sip. Muddy ruby color with small, sluggish bubbling.

Rich, toasted and lightly roasted malts. Syrupy sweet bread crust and Summer fruit with a dash of somethig herbal and bitter.

Very rich, syrupy malt dominated palate. Heavily toasted and lightly roasted with just a hint of coffee. There's maybe a hint of something herbal, but I wouldn't be able to tell that there was coriander, lemongrass, or lim leaves in this brew unless told. Fruity and yeasty on the finish and linger. Well integrated abv. heat.

Serving type: can

05-13-2012 17:33:50 | More by scruffwhor

JohnnyHopps

Indiana

4.23/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a can into my trusty snifter, the appearance was a pale golden color with a moderate head erupting toward the top of the glass. The Belgian notes are the most apparent characteristic in the aroma, which gives an understated impression before the taste. The initial taste is somewhat spicy or peppery with notes of corriander and pleasant lime hints that nibble at the sour taste buds on the tongue. Thankfully, the lime is realistic unlike the lime flavoring in certain macrobrews. All of these unusual traits are set against a malty backbone. The unusual flavors in this beer along with a thinner mouthfeel make this beer an odd impression of the style. Yet the complexity of the flavor creates an enjoyable experience.

Serving type: can

05-12-2012 23:49:06 | More by JohnnyHopps

jondeelee

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Siamese Twin opens with a strange, fruity aroma that seems part Belgian, with touches of banana and clove, part peppery cocktail, and part fruity wine spritzer. The kaffir limes and lemongrass impart distinct grassy lemon-lime notes, and the coriander lends peppery earthiness, lending touches of loam. The spice additions together give the brew an almost-but-not-quite Dr. Pepper quality, but with far more pepper and vanilla spicing, as well as citrus. The overall effect is alluring, but definitely out of the ordinary, with few "beer" notes present, replaced instead by citrusy, peppery aromas that would almost be more familiar in a light Thai dish.

On the tongue, the beer opens with a mixed profile, part of it the familiar banana-and-clove Belgian, part a mixture of the lime, lemongrass, and peppery coriander, and over all of this, a sugary layer of brown sugar, vanilla, kola nut, and fig, apricot, orange, and white grape fruit esters. Very light touches of wheat toast add earthiness, and a slight tingle, as well as touches of pink grapefruit, speak of decent hop support. The aftertaste is a continuation of the peppery lemongrass, banana, and clove notes, and lingers for a good while. Mouthfeel is medium, and carbonation is medium.

Overall, the beer is quite good, and I was very thankful to find that the strange kaffir lime leaf, lemongrass, and coriander additions worked well with the brew, meshing nicely with the malts and hops and providing new and funky layers of sugar and peppery spice, instead of overwhelming it. Recommended, and excellent light fare for a hot day.

Serving type: can

04-29-2012 19:39:17 | More by jondeelee

emerge077

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Rapidly dissipating speckled skim on the surface, deep saturated copper amber color with a hint of crimson. Nice color, the foam fades away pretty fast though. Slowly rising carb trails visible when held to the light.

Fruity sweet aroma of dried figs, rum raisin, sarsaparilla. Fairly complex and interesting, though a bit sweet with a hint of booze peeking through.

Sweet fruity flavors, reduced brown sugar, carob, figs and cola... also seems a little like sarsaparilla, a little like bittersweet chicory. Drying finish with some light lingering flavors, but nothing really distinctive. Medium bodied and slightly astringent. As it warms and sits in the glass, it's astringency becomes less pleasant.

Overall this is an ok Dubbel, not sure if it's something i'd seek out again personally though.

Serving type: can

04-24-2012 01:13:19 | More by emerge077

GbVDave

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 16oz can into a DFH thick-stemmed tulip.

Canned on: 12/19/2011

A: Pours a deep russet with striking clarity. A brief flash of head that becomes a creamy, light brown collar that doesn't leave any lace.

S: Strong aromas of toasted bready malt, coriander, dark fruit, pan roasted nuts, vanilla icing, and a faint whiff of citrus.

T: See above with rum raisin bread pudding, dark chocolate, and subtle herbal flavors.

M: Full and relatively chewy. Savory flavors stick fully to the tongue and last long past the finish.

O: Damn impressive. I dug the "not traditionally canned" style that they chose to release. I'll keep my eyes on these guys.

Serving type: can

03-27-2012 00:26:54 | More by GbVDave

mdfb79

New York

2.85/5  rDev -22.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Picked this up at Rick's in Alexandria a week or two ago. Poured from a 16 oz. can into my Lost Abbey glass.

a - Pours a deep medium brown color with two fingers of dark tan head and moderate carbonation evident. Head lasts for two minutes or so and a few bubbles throughout drinking.

s - Smells a bit metalic, and or nuts, toasted malts, raisins, figs, dark fruits, fruity malts, and light sugar. The metalic notes throw it off a bit.

t - Tastes of sugar, sweet dark fruits, sweet fruity malts, raisins, plums, figs, molasses, toasted malta, bready malts, and burnt malts. A little too sweet but no metalic notes.

m - Medium body and moderate to high carbonation. Little bit of alcohol and a little too carbonated.

o - Overall I wasn't a big fan of this one. I thought the nose was a bit metalic, the taste was a little too sweet, and the body was a little too carbonated. Overall not a great beer and something I wouldn't seek out again or recommend.

Serving type: can

03-21-2012 22:58:32 | More by mdfb79

paulginva

Virginia

3.48/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

APPEARANCE: This beer, poured from a tap into a goblet, produced a medium-tan frothy 1" head that dissipated somewhat slowly leaving good head lacing. Carbonation was soft in a muddy deep amber body.

AROMA: Some sweet malts but the predominant aroma was of lemon and ginger and a bit of alcohol.

TASTE: Initially, moderate amounts of lemon, lime, mint and grass, a hint of yeast, a bit of sweet malt and a bit of warm alcohol.

MOUTHFEEL: This beer had a somewhat light body with a thin texture, soft carbonation and modest body lacing that dissipated somewhat slowly. The initial flavor was moderately tart and bitter with a somewhat sweet finish that lasted for a moderate length of time.

DRINKABILITY: This is a sipping beer, not one I'd want for a session beer. Two would be tops for me. While easy to drink and having a good price point, the beer suffered from some deficiencies, not least of which was that it didn't taste much like a dubbel. It's described as "unique and uncommon," and I'll give them that -- and points for creating an original brew -- but I doubt that I'll buy it again; it just wasn't that outstanding.

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2012 17:27:55 | More by paulginva

kflorence

California

3.53/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a deep amber with a cherry tint when held up to the light. A fourth inch of frothy, tan foam sits atop and clings to the edges of the glass, slowly sliding down to the level of the brew. The foam bubbles on this one are pretty microscopic which gives reason to believe the carbonation here will be crisp but not overly active. A bit darker than I expected, but probably not unusual for the style.

S: Lots of caramelized malts on the nose along with some dark fruits, as well as a good amount of lemongrass, coriander and lime, as advertised!

T: The taste follows the aroma quite well for this brew. A decidedly malt-prominent blast of flavors hit first with dark fruits, lemongrass, coriander and lime following. A little caramel and toffee. Not much yeast. Lots of coriander. An interesting combination of flavors to be sure. Honestly, I'm not sure the coriander and lemongrass work well here, as it they seem to clash along with the added sweetness from the malts. Finishes quite dry with a bit of burnt grass. Lingering flavor is caramelized malts, lemongrass and hay.

M: Medium bodied with a light, crisp carbonation and a fair amount of substance. Interestingly, this brew seems to coat your tongue with an oily residue as it hits the tongue, and finish quite dry after the swallow.

O: Frankly, Belgian Dubbel's have never really been my thing, but I'm always up for exploration. While I appreciate the innovative thinking here, it just didn't really gel for me. There seems to be a clash between the sweet malts, dark fruits and spices that just doesn't sit well in my stomach. Still, this one is quite drinkable thanks to the light carbonation, and at 8.5% ABV you pretty much forget what it tastes like half-way through. I could totally see this beer satisfying a niche market, but I would probably pass over it on my next trip to the store. Cheers!

Serving type: can

02-29-2012 03:21:50 | More by kflorence